ComEd Receives Two National Recognitions for Response After Extreme Weather

Rhea-AI Summary

ComEd and its parent Exelon Corporation (EXC) were recognized by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) for their effective response to power outages during severe weather conditions. ComEd received two Emergency Recovery Awards for restoring power to over 347,000 customers after storms in August 2021 and assisting other utilities in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia after ice storms. The company restored over 90% of affected customers within 20 hours, demonstrating its commitment to improving grid resilience against climate change.

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• ComEd restored power to over 347,000 customers within 20 hours after the August 2021 storm.
• Assisted over 400 crews in restoring service following ice storms in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.

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• None.

ComEd and sister Exelon utility honored for assisting people in need during busy winter storm season

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) recognized ComEd with two Emergency Recovery Awards for its work to quickly and safely restore power to homes and businesses following powerful storms in northern Illinois in August 2021 and for assisting other utilities following ice storms in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. EEI represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, and its members provide electricity for more than 220 million Americans.

“These awards recognize the tremendous work of our 6,200 employees to support customers in both our communities and those in need in other parts of the country,” said Terence R. Donnelly, ComEd president and COO. “We continue to see the potential impacts of climate change in more frequent extreme weather events. Our work and investments over the past decade to harden the grid help to mitigate damage by this kind of weather and the time it takes to restore power to customers.”

In August 2021, a line of storms featuring wind gusts of more than 65 miles per hour, hail and more than 5,400 lightning strokes moved through ComEd’s communities, causing outages for more than 347,000 customers. Through the efforts of ComEd’s workforce and use of advanced technology on its power grid, ComEd restored service to more than 90 percent of affected customers within 20 hours.

In Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, more than 400 ComEd and contractor crews assisted in restoration following an ice storm that left more than 140,000 customers out of power. Crews experienced a wintry mix of freezing rains and snow throughout their deployment, with temperatures ranging from a low of 12 degrees to a high of 40 degrees. Crews worked 14 days to restore power to affected customers.

“This year brought several significant storms and other extreme weather-related events that impacted many customers and communities across the nation,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “ComEd and its employees worked around the clock following extreme storms locally and nationally to ensure that power was restored safely and as quickly as possible. I applaud ComEd and its employees for their unwavering dedication to the customers and to the communities they so proudly serve, and I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”

Presented to EEI member companies, the Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI’s virtual winter Board of Directors meeting. ComEd was recognized by EEI along with its sister utility, PECO.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 100 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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Source: ComEd

FAQ

What did ComEd and Exelon Corporation (EXC) receive recognition for?

ComEd and Exelon Corporation (EXC) received Emergency Recovery Awards from the Edison Electric Institute for their quick response to power outages during severe weather.

How many customers did ComEd restore power to after the August 2021 storms?

ComEd restored power to over 347,000 customers following the storms in August 2021.

What weather events impacted ComEd in 2021?

ComEd faced significant storms in August 2021 and ice storms in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, which caused widespread power outages.

Who presented the Emergency Recovery Awards to ComEd?

The Emergency Recovery Awards were presented by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) during their virtual Board of Directors meeting.